How to Compliment a Guy While Texting

Send a guy a compliment by text that is simple and short.
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Compliments sent via text should have a lot of the same qualities as those given in person -- most importantly they should be genuine and sincere. If you want to compliment a guy while texting, consider what you like about him and let him know. Maybe it's his warm embrace or witty jokes -- whatever you can't live without. If you are just getting to know a guy, a compliment via text lets him know that you are interested and want to take things further.

1 Compliment Something Intangible

If you can, offer a compliment about something that he does -- rather than the way that he looks. According to "Men's Health" magazine, 66 percent of male readers surveyed indicated that they want women to pinpoint an "intangible quality" when offering a compliment. For example, if you are texting back and forth about an upcoming ski trip and he asks how you think it will go, you might say something like, "I always have fun when I am with you." If a guy makes you laugh, you could let him know by saying, "You tell the funniest jokes," or if he is one of the smartest guys in class you could text, "You are a math wizard!"

2 Compliment His Looks

Compliments about looks are also fair game -- especially if there is some distinctive quality about the guy whom you are texting that you genuinely admire. Get specific with your texts and tell him exactly what you like. For example, "I love the color of your eyes" is better than "You are cute." Something like "I just adore your smile" or "I love that you are so tall!" may also keep him thinking about you longer than a more generic compliment. Also think about your relationship with the guy and what he would be comfortable hearing. A guy who is just a friend might appreciate a compliment about the sideburns he worked so hard to grow but might be uncomfortable if you say something about his physique.

3 Keep Things Simple

Keep things simple when sending a compliment by text, suggests pop culture expert Madison Moore. Don't send compliments that are overly long, complicated or filled with emoticons. By the same token, take care not to fill your compliment with "text speak," such as using the short form "ur" instead of "you are," unless you are sure it won't bother the guy that you are texting.

4 Don't Wait Around

If you don't get a response to your text compliment, get busy and don't hang around your phone waiting for a reply. Don't become upset or angry if you don't hear back right away, Moore advises, adding that guys usually eventually text again. If you don't get a reply, it could mean that you overstepped the relationship -- or simply that his buddies came over for football. Try to make plans to see each other in person so that you can assess how he felt about what you said.

Arlin Cuncic has been writing about mental health since 2007, specializing in social anxiety disorder and depression topics. She served as the managing editor of the "Journal of Attention Disorders" and has worked in a variety of research settings. Cuncic holds an M.A. in clinical psychology.

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